Vaccine research and development: eight years and counting -- Is the AIDS vaccine effort on track?

This paper presents an agenda for action toward the development of an effective worldwide HIV vaccine. First the White House must request funding increases for the US government agencies that are conducting HIV research. Second goals should be set and progress should be reported to determine whether the coordinated effort among US government agencies is wasteful as it stands. Third private industries should be encouraged to invest on a larger scale to help accelerate research developments and Community Advisory Boards should be supported in order to facilitate community involvement. Furthermore the vaccine research tax credit legislation authored by US Representatives Nancy Pelosi and Charles Rangel must also be supported. Advocates for AIDS research should unite with those involved in the fields of womens health health and rights of vulnerable communities and international health in order to advocate HIV vaccine research and to address issues of product liability intellectual property rights and licensing laws that may affect access to vaccines. Finally all major AIDS organizations media and prevention planning groups must integrate support for vaccine research into their policy analyses educational programs and communications.